BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

29/09/2008

Belarusian Opposition Activist Expects Eu to Assess Polls Objectively

(Source: Daily News Bulletin; Moscow - English)trackingMINSK. Sept 28 (Interfax-West) - The European Union must objectively assess the Belarusian parliamentary polls, Belarusian opposition politician Alexander Kozulin has said.

"Europe must properly assess how the polls will proceed in Belarus. If positive moments are there, they must be given notice, but the negative must not be overlooked, either," Kozulin said at a polling station on Sunday after casting his ballot.

Kozulin also said that the doors must not be closed on the "Belarusian leaders, who must be taught to develop."

"Cooperation between Europe and Belarus implies reciprocal moves. Europe must work to make these steps mutual," he said.

"I am a law-abiding citizen and must be actively involved in the election," Kozulin said, when asked by journalists, why he had come to a polling station and cast his ballot. "If the election is not boycotted, one must come, but if it is, the boycott must be complete," he added.

"Up to 65% of votes were cast in early balloting," he said.

"The United Democratic Forces (UDF) generally favored participation in the election," he said. Kozulin also said that, "transparent ballot boxes should have been set up at polling stations."

Meanwhile, leading UDF figure Alexander Bukhvostov described the steps of the Belarusian opposition ahead of the elections as relaxed and disorganized.

"During the entire election campaign UDF members should have adhered to one chosen strategy instead of fluctuating from side to side - one day we boycott elections, the other we don't. Some UDF members think and act in one way, others otherwise," he said at a Sunday press conference in Minsk.

In his opinion, there are only 15 opposition candidates with good chances of being elected. UDF has its candidates running in 70 electoral districts.

"UDF did much to prepare observers for the elections. Numerous seminars were held and each observer was supplied with instructive books and a badge. They operate in all parts of Belarus," Bukhvostov said.

He said UDF has a total of 2,400 observers to the elections.

Source:

http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewiStockNews+articleid_2657401.html

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